SIDE 1
CHADWICK
Little tomato people. They are busily preparing for Christmas, but little do they know, the mean tomato who lives on top of the mountain is planning to steal Christmas this year.
WALTER
You are describing the Grinch.
CHADWICK
But with tomatoes!
WALTER
Greenway is going to fire us all if we don t come up with something good, you understand that?
(MATTHEWS bursts in, carrying a small manuscript.)
MATTHEWS
I got it! You are familiar, of course, with Christopher Smith.
WALTER
Are you kidding? Christopher Smith was the greatest writer of Christmas stories who ever lived.
MATTHEWS
Mr. Hobbs, I met this guy who recently acquired a desk once owned by one Christopher Smith and in a secret drawer he finds a manuscript.
WALTER
A lost Chris Smith Christmas story?
MATTHEWS
A lost Chris Smith Christmas story!
(MATTHEWS hands WALTER a small, yellowing manuscript.)
MATTHEWS
Be careful. It s the only copy.
(Suddenly, BUDDY, in his business suit, bursts into the conference room, having just come from his date.)
BUDDY
I m in love! And I don t care who knows it!
WALTER
Buddy, please. We re very busy.
BUDDY
Dad, I need a table for two at Tavern on the Green, seven o clock, Christmas Eve. And four hundred dollars.
MATTHEWS
The guy s waiting in the lobby, Mr. Hobbs.
WALTER
(to BUDDY)
Buddy. We ll talk about this in a minute. Just, do me a favor and sit there in that chair. Amuse yourself.
BUDDY
Oh, okay, Dad.
WALTER
(to MATTHEWS)
Well, bring the guy up here. I want to thank him personally.
MATTHEWS
He s not waiting for a thank you. He s waiting for $300,000.
(WALTER puts down the manuscript.)
WALTER
What?
CHADWICK
Mr. Hobbs, we ve been trying to come up with an idea for a story but we got nothing.
MATTHEWS
We re idiots!
CHADWICK
And then this comes along: It s a gift from God!
MATTHEWS
And God gets mad when you don t accept his gifts.
WALTER
Fine. I ll write the guy a check.